Four buses headed to Remulla’s Cavite resort held

CAMP VICENTE LIM- Four private buses carrying alleged supporters of reelectionist Cavite Gov. Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla were held by the police over alleged vote-buying in Bacoor City in Cavite at noon Wednesday.

The buses were being used to “herd” voters from Bacoor City to the Island Cove, a big resort in Kawit town that Remulla’s family owned, according to a police officer who refused to be named for lack of authority to speak on the matter.

The source said some of the passengers carried envelopes that each contained sample ballots and P200 cash.

Remulla, who was interviewed by phone from Makati City, confirmed that four private buses were held for police “inspection” along Zapote road near his family’s property at past noon on Wednesday.

He however denied that the passengers of the buses were his supporters, as well as the vote-buying allegations.

Contrary to the police’s information, “they were stopped only for inspection of the buses’ registration. They are not being arrested,” Remulla said.

But Remulla did say they started holding campaign rallies at the resort since one of their key supporters, a Bacoor village official, was wounded in an ambush after attending a political rally in Bacoor City two weeks ago.

“We are holding our political rallies in different locations since (the ambush) because of the rampant shooting incidents,” Remulla said.

Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) police director Chief Supt. Benito Estipona confirmed the police operation but the details of the arrest were not immediately available from the Cavite provincial police that held the buses.